"The only way to live is by accepting each minute as an unrepeatable miracle."
-Jack Kornfield
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| Photographer: Brad Sutton |
In my recent years, hiking and traveling have become more than a passion to me, they became a way of life and building strength after a series of event in my life that made me reconsider things. Outdoor traveling has helped me find myself again whilst tuning into the simplistic nature and beauty that surrounds us in California.
One found that venturing out into the wilderness took me away from modern distractions and gave me the time I needed to explore my inner peace. One of the next places I would love to encounter is an adventure to go bouldering in the Joshua Tree National Park and camp out there. Joshua Tree National Park is located in Southern California's Mojave/Colorado deserts and is about two to three hours from Los Angeles, San Diego or Las Vegas and is only one hour from the Palm Springs area.
Joshua Tree is known for its stable weather, unique beauty, easy access and vast amounts of bouldering and rock climbing. I like to push my limits and bouldering is a type of rock climbing that does not use ropes or harnesses. The daredevil inside of me would love to give it a try to witness the breath taking views and sense of achievement.
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| Photographer: Robb Hannawacker |
Joshua Tree National Park covers 900,000 acres so I would be spoiled for choice when I go, just as you keen backpackers and mountaineers’ would too. The unique and vast terrain would offer a great choice of boulders to scale, from small to large and gives one a good chance to practice before committing to riskier heights.
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| Photographer: Robb Hannawacker |
The top months for climbing in the area are January, February and March with various recognized land marks to encounter. For a full list of weather and terrain information on Joshua Tree National Park please check out here.
The whole area has 400 different climbing formations and 8000 different routes! Of course, there is much to learn if one is serious about a bouldering adventure and there is plenty of resources online for you to check out, but the only real way to witness this is to go and do it for real!
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| Above is an example of what bouldering in Joshua Tree National Park looks like. |
If you are new to rock climbing and bouldering, you may wish to purchase a climbing guide or hiking map if you are unfamiliar with the park. Vertical Adventures rock climbing school, which has been ranked as the top rock climbing school in America, provides year-round private and group classes. The school's director Bob Gaines' latest guidebook is Best Climbs Joshua Tree National Park, featuring 252 of the finest routes in Joshua Tree National Park.
Two popular camp grounds with great reviews in Joshua Tree include the Indian Cove and the Jumbo Rocks Campground- both have great reviews and set in fantastic locations. They offer great opportunities for scrambling around the boulders Joshua Tree Park is known for.
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| Jumbo Rocks Camp Site |
And, for hikers and backpackers, the park offers an extensive network of trails of varying length and difficulty. From short nature trails to long, strenuous hikes, you're sure to find a trail to your liking. The 1.7-mile Skull Rock Nature Trail loops near the Jumbo Rocks Campground, leading visitors among the rock features and native plants of the area.
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| Photo by Brad Sutton |
Such a vast area will surely have so many beauty spots it will be impossible to see them all. The only limitations are your drive and imagination for how many adventures you can have in Joshua Tree! Watch the video clip below about the park and more inspiration. Check back with me soon for more on traveling to great destinations in California.
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